Committee member urges caution over proposed library parking lot near Pussies Pond

A Citizens Advisory Committee member told the Stanton County Trustees on May 11 that a town sketch to build a 35-space parking lot behind the Springs library could threaten water quality at nearby Pussies Pond.

The speaker said the draft respects a 150-foot wetland setback but noted the plan’s stormwater containment measures had not been identified and asked trustees—who are adjacent-property stakeholders—to request that mitigation be incorporated before the project moves forward. "I would like to see the whatever technical solution they use to capture the stormwater runoff to be appropriate for this situation," the committee member said.

Trustees and participants discussed the pond’s history of phragmites removal, prior revegetation work and the lack of a long-term maintenance plan after previous projects. One participant said past efforts included mechanical removal and saltwater spraying and that follow-up maintenance is necessary to prevent reestablishment.

Speakers were uncertain which entity holds the parcel: the library, the town or the Springs Historical Society overlapped in places on the sketch. The committee member said Ian would place map stakes so trustees and neighbors can see true parcel boundaries.

The committee member asked trustees to review draft language expressing concern about potential impacts and mitigation measures; trustees agreed staff could draft language for later review rather than take immediate formal action. The town was identified in the discussion as the project proponent.